Department of Homeland Security: What is it Good For?

Late Friday night, Congress passed legislation funding the Department of Homeland Security for one week. This vote followed weeks of debate over efforts to attach a prohibition on funding President Obama’s executive order granting amnesty to certain illegal immigrants to the Homeland Security funding bill.

Despite the heated rhetoric from both sides, no one seriously believes that Congress will allow Homeland Security funding to lapse. Most in Congress believe that, without the Department of Homeland Security, Americans would be left unprotected from terrorists and natural disasters. As with most areas of bipartisan agreement, the truth is the exact opposite of the DC consensus. The American people would be much better off if Congress transferred the few constitutional functions performed by Homeland Security to other parts of the government and then shut down the rest of the department.

Many Americans associate Homeland Security with the color–coded terrorist warning system and the “if you see something, say something” public relations campaign. These programs were designed to inspire public confidence in the department, but instead they inspired public ridicule.

Ironically, the best case for shutting down this department is its most well-known component — the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). More terrorist attacks have been thwarted by airline passengers than by the TSA! The TSA may be ineffective at stopping terrorists, but it is very effective at harassing innocent Americans like Lucy Forck. Three-year-old Lucy, who uses a wheelchair, not only had to endure an intrusive screening from TSA agents, but the agents also took away her beloved stuffed animal.

When not abusing children who use wheelchairs, TSA subjects airline passengers to rules that seem designed to make air travel as unpleasant as possible. For example, TSA recently forced a Campaign for Liberty staffer to throw away a jar of Nutella she had in her carry-own luggage. I am sure all airline passengers feel safe knowing that TSA is protecting them from sandwich spreads.

Ending the TSA would return responsibility for airline security to airports and airlines. Private businesses have a greater incentive than a government bureaucracy to ensure their customers’ safety. Those conservatives who think this is a radical idea should try to think of one area where they trust government bureaucrats to do a better job than private business owners.

Another agency within Homeland Security that the American people could do without is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Having spent fifteen years in Congress representing a coastal area subject to hurricanes and floods, I have seen first-hand how FEMA places adherence to bureaucratic rules ahead of aiding victims of a natural disaster. As a result, it is not uncommon for disaster victims to wait months or even years for assistance.

FEMA not only fails to provide effective relief to disaster victims, it also impedes private disaster relief efforts. FEMA even hinders disaster victims’ efforts to help themselves. While in Congress, I heard stories of individuals being threatened with fines or even jail time if they returned to their property without FEMA’s permission. One individual in my district was threatened with arrest if he removed a tarp that FEMA put on his house — even though FEMA was supposed to have put it on his neighbor’s house!

Ten years after the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, it is clear that this department has failed to protect our security, but has infringed on liberty. If Congress really wanted to enhance our security and our liberty it would shut down this unnecessary, unconstitutional department.

What you should realize is that the department of ‘Home” land security is a attempt at establishing a american version of the NKVD internal affairs or more like the british Home office which controls police etc in the UK watch and see when the DHS doesnt morph into the vehicle to control over the federal system

This opens up several questions: Basically it passes rule that legalize and facilitate the
Agency and Government ILLEGAL operations. It provide money for projects from special interest that have PURSE to pay off Congresspeople of questionable pro US interest or are ignorant of consequence of those laws, as is now the case for illegal immigrant and immigrant hat do not qualify as assets for US work. It provide good demagoguery for politicians who sell their souls to foreign money, as Rand recently did i demanding punishment for Palestinian that join UN Committee Israel does not like. “Why should we do that Rand? Israel long record of ignoring rules is well known. Israel can object but can not move to action to stop the right of other to legally pursue their interest.
BRUTALLY speaking IRAN has done nothing to us, the Embassy was a response to our action interfering with their LEGAL DEMOCRATIC election to force a dictator on them, as as Israel has been doing in Egypt, Libya and every where in the M.E. or where they see an opportunity for them, like in Ukraine Gas. Historically the Jewish people special ability with FOREIGN INTRIGUE is well known. For once RICE was right, Bibi is a Destroyer, as one should expect from Sabotage activity against opposition. HE IS HERE TO SABOTAGE OBAMA EFFORT TOWARD PEACE. ‘MR Bibi, no one is stopping you from pursuing YOUR plan, just don’t relay on our soldiers or expose OUR people.